Can I Laugh On Your Shoulder?

My guest this week is Ken Coleman, the #1 national bestselling author of The Proximity Principle and nationally syndicated host of The Ken Coleman Show.

Pulling from his own personal struggles, missed opportunities and career successes, Ken helps people discover what they were born to do and provides practical steps to make their dream job a reality.

The Ken Coleman Show is a caller-driven career show that helps listeners who are stuck in a job they hate or searching for something more out of their career. His latest book, From Paycheck to Purpose, was released in November.

4:02 – Ken 101

• Being a husband and father is Ken's priority in life, but his career is not far behind.

5:25 – How he got here

• Ken is a pastor's kid, and his dad told him he was created to do something with his life.
• There was a glaring need that he grew up with – that he had to figure out what God's will for his life is.
• He wanted to be a politician with a background in business and leadership. He eventually lost his passion for that kind of work.

15:06 – From Paycheck to Purpose

• When you feel lost or stuck in your life and career, it feels all consuming. Ken discovered he had a passion for broadcasting and communication.
• He began working for Ramsey Solutions and helping people through his show.
• He finally realized if he wanted to drive transformation in people's lives, he needed to give them a clear path.

28:16 – Finding meaningful work

• The pandemic created a great resignation as people sought meaning in their lives and careers.
• People were forced to face their mortality and the preciousness of life. They began asking themselves what they want to do with their lives.

41:15 – Words of wisdom

• What does Ken say to people who hate their job and feel stuck? Focus on facts, not feelings. Figure out what skills you have acquired and what knowledge you have gained.
• You can build on the skills you have, no matter your age.
• You will sabotage yourself if you keep looking back at your past jobs. Keeping looking up at the mountaintop of your dreams.

45:13 – Get to know you

• His most played song? Elevation Worship's Wait on You
• Who would play him in a movie? Jason Sudeikis
• True generosity he has witnessed? Dave Ramsey gave away more than $1 million

FEATURED QUOTES

What do I want to do with the rest of my life? What other changes do I want to make? Life's too short to just go get a paycheck.

There was a glaring need that I grew up with. I gotta figure out what God's will for my life is.

If you're driving transformation, people need a clear path.

• LINKS:
• https://www.ramseysolutions.com/ken-coleman
• https://www.ramseysolutions.com/store/books/from-paycheck-to-purpose-by-ken-coleman

ABOUT KEN COLEMAN:

Ken Coleman is America's Career Coach, the nationally syndicated radio host of The Ken Coleman Show and No. 1 bestselling author. He has been featured in Forbes, appeared on Fox News, Fox Business Network, and the Rachel Ray Show. Since 2014, he has served at Ramsey Solutions, where he offers expert advice to help thousands of people every day discover what they were meant to do and how to land their dream job. Follow Ken on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube or at kencoleman.com.

Thank you to our partner of the show:

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My guest this week is Allison Trowbridge, founder and CEO of Copper, a disruptive social platform that connects book enthusiasts and readers directly with authors. Copper offers a unique, subscription-based model for authors and a community for like-minded individuals.

Copper offers everything from a customized bookshelf, discussion guides, audio hosting, and so much more. It takes the reading experience to a whole new level.

Allison is also an accomplished author in her own right. She published her book, "Twenty-Two: Letters to a Young Woman Searching for Meaning," back in 2017 with Harper Collins while completing her MBA at Oxford's Business School.

5:27 – Allison 101

• She had a very wild, winding journey before creating Copper. She comes from the non-profit world and anti-trafficking and ethical companies.
• What she's building now is the company that she wished had existed when she was launching her own book.

7:07 – Ethical brands

• Allison started as a volunteer for an anti-trafficking organization, Not For Sale, while she was in college and was then hired to work there.

14:18 – How she published her first book

• She published "Twenty-Two" through Harper Collins. She wrote the book after feeling like there was no guidance or leadership for that season of her life.
• How do you handle careers and friendships and relationships? She wanted a mentor for those life experiences.
• When she feels like she really need something and it doesn't exist, she asks herself: "How do I help create it for those who are coming up behind me?"

21:27 – What is Copper?

• When she published her book, she realized she loved the publishing industry but realized there wasn't a lot of technology or innovation going on in the industry.
• She wanted a way to build a base of readers without doing a dance on Instagram to get followers.

28:11 – Her dreams for Copper

• Within five years, she wants to build the LinkedIn of the book world.
• A major goal is to help underserved and underrepresented voices get discovered and amplified and find their audience.
• She also wants to help audiences find each other.

32:00 – Get to know you

• Favorite genre? Business books and cozy mysteries
• Does she ever not finish books? All the time.

FEATURED QUOTES

I became really passionate about publishing and books as really a driver for social change and greater impact.

Books can transform lives, quite literally.

What I'm building now is the company that I wished had existed when I was launching my own book.

When I feel like I really, really need something and it doesn't exist, I'm like, how do I help create it for those who are coming up behind me?

CONNECT:

https://copperbooks.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Twenty-Two-Letters-Young-Searching-Meaning/dp/0718078160

ABOUT ALLISON TROWBRIDGE:

Allison Trowbridge is the founder and CEO of Copper, a disruptive social platform that connects book enthusiasts and readers directly with authors. As the publishing landscape continues to lean into book clubs and social media as the cornerstone of a book launch marketing campaign, Copper streamlines the process, offering a unique subscription-based model for authors, and a community of like-minded individuals who want to engage with the authors they love and other voracious readers. Offering features like a customized bookshelf, discussion guides, audio hosting, and more, Copper takes the reading experience to a new level. Allison is also the host of impact podcast, "Real Good Company" with Caitlin Crosby, founder & CEO of The Giving Keys where the two discuss and interview luminaries doing great things. An accomplished author in her own right, Allison published her book, "Twenty-Two: Letters to a Young Woman Searching for Meaning" in 2017 with HarperCollins while completing her MBA at Oxford's Said Business School. Prior to her work in the publishing industry, Allison worked within the global anti-slavery movement, leading marketing, fundraising, and international campaigns.

My guest this week is Heather Maio-Smith, an award-winning interactive storytelling pioneer and technology visionary who brings more than a decade of storytelling leadership to her brand new company, StoryFile.

In 2010 Heather was creating an exhibit on intergenerational testimony with Holocaust survivors. She created a 3D prototype and formed a partnership to secure in-depth interviews interactively.

Heather had always intended that once the survivors were filmed, that anyone should be able to tell their story and save it for future generations. In 2017, StoryFile was created as an automatic, cloud-based platform that would bring the power of conversational video into everyone's hands.

3:03 – Heather 101

• She became an expert in intergenerational testimony and had great conversations with older people.
• She wanted everyone to be able to tell their story so future generations could actually talk to them and have a conversation.

6:46 – How does StoryFile work?

• She didn't know if her idea would work. They built a system that was completely automated and online.
• You record yourself answering a bunch of questions about your life. You can choose from 1,600 questions.

13:02 – Answers for future generations

• There's no reason nowadays that you can't have in-depth conversations with people you love.
• Do a StoryFile for a future generation you'll never meet.
• Some people think it's a bit egotistic to do, but it's not. It's a gift to future generations.

19:05 – Tell your story

• It's one thing to write down your story or do an audio recording of yourself, but you miss the non-verbal communication.
• The video element allows you to see the essence of the person.
• Every generation has gone through really difficult things, but it's what you learn from it and can pass along.

27:27 – How to start StoryFile

• Go to StoryFile.com and pick how many questions you want to do. You can pick individual questions or by topic and start recording.

28:27 – Get to know you

• Best concert she ever attended? Madonna in a small venue

FEATURED QUOTES

We wanted everyone to be able to tell their story this way so future generations could actually talk to them and have a conversation.

If my kids could have the ability to talk to my grandfather, that would be amazing. Because then they would understand me and maybe understand themselves a little more.

It's one thing to write down your story or do an audio recording of yourself, but you miss the non-verbal communication.

CONNECT:

https://storyfile.com/

ABOUT HEATHER MAIO-SMITH:

Heather Maio-Smith is an award-winning interactive storytelling pioneer and technology visionary who brings over a decade of immersive storytelling leadership to StoryFile.

In 2010, Heather developed the first 3D interactive conversation with Holocaust Survivor Rose Schindler through her creative agency Conscience Display. At the time, she was creating physical video installations at the United Nations, USC, and in Havana, Cuba, but she understood that the future of storytelling lay at the intersection of digital media and 'natural conversation' and decided to create it.

Heather developed a strategic partnership with two global entities with competencies in visual media and technology - USC Shoah Foundation and the Institute for Creative Technologies. The partnership she led has resulted in the development of a new medium - natural conversation video.

Through Heather's leadership, immersive interactive natural conversation video has gone from being a concept to a reality, combining hi-fidelity multi-scopic video with voice commands to deliver commercial grade natural conversation with an individual, whether it's a life-sized video or on your mobile device, replicating the emotional experience of having a conversation with a person. She developed and pioneered Dimensions in Testimony, a program to interview Holocaust Survivors in volumetric interactive video without that survivor actually being present. Dimensions in Testimony won both the People's Choice Award and the Jury Prize at Sheffield Doc Fest in 2016. She produced and led the project before moving on to found and lead StoryFile.

As a leader in content based technology, she has spoken about Natural Conversation at Microsoft (2017), US Holocaust Museum (2017), Dartmouth College (2018), FoST (2018), SXSW (2019), SXSW (2019), The LA Times Festival of Books (2019), M.I.T. (2020), and AI Summit (2020). Heather's work has been featured in Fast Company, NBC's The Today Show, The New Yorker, Reuters and BBC. She was also featured on 60 Minutes in 2020.

Instagram:

@storyfile

Website:

www.storyfile.com

My guest this week is Daniel Grothe, associate senior pastor at New Life Church in Colorado Springs. He is the author of Chasing Wisdom and The Power of Place: Choosing Stability in a Rootless Age.

He is a two-time Grammy-nominated musician. He and his wife Lisa live on a hobby farm with their three children. You may remember Daniel. He was on my podcast in 2020, episode 205, and he is one of my favorite interviews of all time. He's hilarious, kind and wise.

4:40 – Farm updates

• The resident elk herd is moving through right now. They just harvested their 20th cow and sent out another 2,000 pounds of beef.
• Life is full on Quiet Waters Ranch.

13:45 – The Power of Place: Choosing Stability in a Rootless Age

• We live in a divorce culture. It's easy to be done and leave. We live in a place of impermanence, where everything is replaceable.
• Many people run from little annoyances and idiosyncrasies. But if we submit to where we are, God can make something of us.

22:37 – An age of wanderlust

• We live in a society of great cultural and social dislocation. We are living in an age of wanderlust.
• We have the deepest pockets of any society in history and maybe the loosest roots.

27:42 – Place, worship and people

• National Geographic did a study called the blue zones, pockets of centenarians who lived over 100 years old. They ate a lot of fish, walked a lot, stayed in the same place most of their lives, had a place of worship and had long-term friendships.
• Place, worship and people matter to longevity.

35:32 – The art of place making

• If you're not in a threatening environment and are having just run of the mill problems, practice the power of place. People are the great purifiers.
• Make where you live wonderful, beautiful, life giving and rich.
• The art of place making – have you created a little nest, a little area where you can be human?

38:46 – Come home to family

• Do your work, go get your money and come on home to your people where you're safe.
• Life is complex and people are going to frustrate us at work, but come home and feel peace.
• There is a depth of riches to be found in friendship.

43:21 – Sacred canopy of church

• Church can be a sacred canopy to provide joy, safety and protection.
• Submit to your local church

44:25 – Community

• What are you doing to make your community better?

52:07 – Stay in place

• You have all that you need right where you are.

55:33 – Get to know you

• Best concert he's ever been to? Boyz II Men
• What actor should play him? Jim Carrey

FEATURED QUOTES

The art of place making – have you created a little nest, a little area where you can be human?

If we submit to where we are, God can make something of us.

We live in a society of great cultural and social dislocation. We are living in an age of wanderlust.

There is a depth of riches to be found in friendship.

CONNECT:

https://danielgrothe.com/

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNER OF THE SHOW:

MamaSuds helps label-reading moms create a safe and nontoxic home for their family by creating synthetic free household cleaners. And one of those cleaner is MamaSuds

Fine Linen Soap- which is the best thing since [Pumpkin] - Sliced -Bread

Wash your high-quality sheets, linens, delicates, and organic fabrics with a Fine Linen Soap to keep them looking newer and softer longer.

Use 3-4 capfuls for high-efficiency machines on delicate cycle, 4-6 capfuls for regular machines on delicate cycle.

Head over to MamaSuds.com and use code MOLLY for 15% off your order!

My guest this week is Grant Trahant. He is the founder of Causeartist, a global community of conscious consumers, social entrepreneurs, business leaders, and the individuals who support them, who believe social enterprise can positively impact the world.

Causeartist's founder, Grant Trahant, grew up in New Orleans, where he was introduced to social issues at an early age. He became fascinated by the idea that businesses could solve societal challenges — skipping over the need for political intervention.

He began seeking out social entrepreneurs to learn more about what they were doing and how he could be involved, and uncovered a bustling world of enterprises determined to make the world better through business.

Today, Causeartist has told the stories of hundreds of brands and business leaders to people in more than 200 countries. Grant operates Causeartist with a growing team of media experts, writers, and editors, all of whom are passionate about improving systems and lives through the power of social enterprise.

4:42 – Grant 101

• He created Causeartist 8 years old to showcase ethical and sustainable alternatives.
• As the years go by, consumers want to understand more about what they buy.

11:55 – From the beginning

• Bridget Hilton, founder of LSTN Headphones, is a good example of someone Grant has known from the beginning and watched her growth.
• You don't have to be doing $5 million in revenue to make an impact and have a good business.

16:09 – How to become successful

• There is so much technology to develop something that could scale really well with just you.
• The barrier to entry is to start your own thing. You can scale ecommerce very quickly.
• Don't start too big with too many products. What do you want to see in the market that doesn't exist?
• Don't make it complicated. The best brands and companies Grant has seen have started with one product.

22:23 – Hurdles

• Passion always helps, especially if you love what you do. The bad times come and go.
• Little wins mean the world and can help you keep going.

30:19 – Life-changing stories

• Grant's friend Trinity is one of the most inspirational people he knows. Trinity grew up in the slums of Uganda and was living on the streets. He was saved by a group and given a laptop. Technology changed his life.

35:59 – Job creation vs. career creation

• How do we create careers instead of just jobs?

38:28 – Get to know you

• Most played playlist? Lo-fi music – no words and very chill acoustics
• Something we would never guess about him? He's massively double jointed

FEATURED QUOTES

One product can turn into an entire business.

As the years go by, consumers want to understand more about what they buy.

You don't have to be doing $5 million in revenue to make an impact and have a good business.

Don't make it complicated. The best brands and companies I've seen have started with one product.

CONNECT WITH GRANT:

• https://causeartist.com/

ABOUT GRANT TRAHANT:

👋 Grant is the founder of Causeartist, one of the most influential impact business platforms in the world. Since 2013, Causeartist has been read in over 200 countries. Grant has personally interviewed over 650 impact entrepreneurs from around the world, highlighting innovations in ethical fashion, climate change, ethical technology, impact investing, and sustainable travel. (Also recently launched www.impactinvestor.io)

👋 Grant is also a professional Web Designer and Developer, specializing in building e-commerce solutions for startups, modernizing platforms and donation funnels for nonprofits and NGOs. Grant also consults with startups and businesses on how to create a media brand within their companies infrastructure to drive new customer acquisition and customer retention through content marketing and high quality SEO content.

👋 Grant is also a proud partner and advisor to Charity Charge. The Charity Charge Mastercard is the only credit card program created specifically for nonprofits and is now benefiting over 1,000 organizations across the country.

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNER OF THE SHOW:

MamaSuds helps label-reading moms create a safe and nontoxic home for their family by creating synthetic free household cleaners. And one of those cleaner is MamaSuds

Fine Linen Soap- which is the best thing since [Pumpkin] - Sliced -Bread

Wash your high-quality sheets, linens, delicates, and organic fabrics with a Fine Linen Soap to keep them looking newer and softer longer.

Use 3-4 capfuls for high-efficiency machines on delicate cycle, 4-6 capfuls for regular machines on delicate cycle.

Head over to MamaSuds.com and use code MOLLY for 15% off your order!

It's episode 270 of this podcast, which means it's time for another solo episode where I talk about what's on my mind. Today's topic is money and 20 ways you can become a financially responsible adult. You don't have to do all 20 to be responsible, but these tips can be helpful.

I used to have a series on my blog called "Molly's Money." I'm not Dave Ramsey, but getting out of debt was a big part of my story. I know that when your personal finances are out of whack, it throws everything out of whack.

In the past 10 to 14 years, I've learned a lot along the way. Where I am now in my financial journey is totally different from years ago. I'm married to a financial advisor, who has taught me a lot.

One of the most common reasons marriages end is over finances. My hope and encouragement is that I can impart some wisdom and share some things I've learned along the way.

In no particular order, let's jump into the tips:

6:48 – Live within your means

• Live on less than you make. Don't max out credit cards. Have extra money at the end of the month.
• We live in a culture that is constantly creating this desire to spend and buy.

8:54 – Know how to budget

• It's surprising how many people don't have a monthly budget. I didn't do this well early on in my debt-free journey.
• To this day, my husband and I have a shared monthly budget.

11:12 – Save for emergencies

• You need to have 3 to 6 months of expenses set aside for an emergency.
• Your heat pump goes out, you break a leg – no matter what it is, you need this money.
• My husband and I decided to increase our emergency fund since we live on the farm now.

14:01 – Save for the future

• The future is unpredictable, so you need to save for the future.
• Maybe it's a Roth IRA or 401k. If you are young, just imagine how much money you could save.

15:08 – Pay your bills on time

• Pay them on time – all of them! I'm speaking from experience.

15:35 – Check your credit report

• Check this yearly. Make sure there's nothing wonky on there.
• You may be a victim of identity theft, and you might not know.

19:14 – Learn how to shop for insurance

• Health insurance and auto insurances are not the only ones you need. You also need life insurance.
• Life is fleeting. You need to protect your family.

21:33 – Control your spending habits

• Are you an impulse buyer? What's your spending style?
• Find out what your style is and how to control it.

22:28 – Get debt under control

• If you're in debt, try to tackle it and get out.
• It's going to be hard, but you can do it.

25:11 – Give, give, give

• I was in debt, but I felt called to start tithing to my church.
• My mindset changed when I began to think of money as a gift and I was to be a good steward.

28:44 – Start buying smart

• You need to be shopping around and know what you're paying for.
• Don't buy a new car. Buy a barely used one for a better price.

30:04 – Get a job

• Get a job, any job. This is the best time in history to get a job.
• At one point in my debt-free journey, I was working four jobs.

33:07 – Know about your job's benefits

• Does your job offer any benefits? Talk with your boss and see what you can negotiate if they don't offer what you want.

34:23 – Learn to read fine print

• If you're signing your name, you better be sure you're reading the fine print.

35:06 – Learn about your taxes

• Taxes aren't fun. Nobody likes them. But know the difference between feeral, satte and local.
• Know how much is being withheld from your paycheck.

36:52 – Know what you need to do to buy a house

• What do you need to do to qualify to buy a house?
• What is PMI? What does your real estate market look like?

38:33 – Know what is needed to qualify for a mortgage

• Learn about escrow, PMI and other things you need to know about mortgages.

39:02 – Learn about everyday financial services

• What fees are you paying for things?
• Know the ins and out of your accounts.

40:26 – Don't borrow money from family or friends

• It gets awkward and creates tension.
• There are exceptions to this, but in general, don't do this.

42:05 – Be an eager student

• Be a constant learner. There are a lot of things that have changed over the years with how we handle finances.

FEATURED QUOTES

When you give, it shifts your entire mindset on money.

I'm not Dave Ramsey, but getting out of debt was a big part of my story. I'm married to a financial advisor.

When your personal finances are out of whack, it throws everything out of whack. You feel stressed.

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNER OF THE SHOW:

MamaSuds helps label-reading moms create a safe and nontoxic home for their family by creating synthetic free household cleaners. And one of those cleaner is MamaSuds

Fine Linen Soap- which is the best thing since [Pumpkin] - Sliced -Bread

Wash your high-quality sheets, linens, delicates, and organic fabrics with a Fine Linen Soap to keep them looking newer and softer longer.

Use 3-4 capfuls for high-efficiency machines on delicate cycle, 4-6 capfuls for regular machines on delicate cycle.

Head over to MamaSuds.com and use code MOLLY for 15% off your order!

My guest this week is Teneshia Jackson Warner. She founded EGAMI Group in 2007 and has accumulated more than a decade of experience in multicultural marketing, project management and inspirational life coaching.

As CEO, Teneshia has led the agency from a dream concept to a thriving multi-million dollar business, delivering award-winning work for major brands, such as Procter & Gamble, Verizon Wireless, Dasani, Rosa Regale, General Motors, Target, KFC, Major League Baseball, Delta and more.

In 2012, Teneshia released her first book, Profit With Purpose: A Marketers Guide to Deliver Purpose-Driven Campaigns to Multicultural Audiences, which earned rave reviews as the first-of-its-kind to be focused on multicultural, purpose-driven marketing.

Teneshia is the recipient of a number of career awards, including the coveted Black Enterprise Rising Star Award, Black Enterprises Forty Under 40, AdColor MVP and The Network Journals Forty Under 40 Award. She's also been featured in Entrepreneur magazine, Essence magazine and Black Enterprise, along with guest appearances on ABC News and The Steve Harvey Show for her entrepreneurial and purpose-inspired successes.

3:28 – Teneshia 101

• She is headquartered in New York and is a creative at heart.
• Beyond being a CEO, Teneshia says she is definitely a dreamer and believes in the impossible. She loves setting her own path and even being called crazy sometimes.
• She is passionate about inspiring other dreamers.

4:59 – What sets EGAMI apart?

• Proctor and Gamble is a long-standing client, and they created a campaign to celebrate black beauty.
• Her team helps companies understand their brand purpose.

9:59 – Helping people fulfill their dreams

• Her dreamers' boot camp is a four-phase approach.
• Teneshia wanted to create a system that other people could follow to create their own success and follow their dreams.
• Phase 1 is identifying the dream and putting people through exercises to figure out where they get their best ideas. For some people, it's in nature.

17:30 – From Idea-land to reality

• Ask yourself what you need to do in the next 12 months to make your dream come true. What about the next 90 days?
• It needs to be measurable and attainable.

23:42 – Learning from obstacles

• Tapping into your dream warrior within is key if you're going to be on a dream journey for a long time.
• You need to fight the dream giants who will be in your way.
• Obstacles come. Are you willing to fight?

30:15 – Her next dream

• Teneshia wants to expand EGAMI group and its footprint and impact in the world.
• She wants to help dreamers globally and give them action-oriented plans.
• Personally, she would like to put health and wellbeing at the forefront of her life.

35:08 – Get to know you

• What's on her most played playlist? Some song by Prince
• Fictional character she wants to meet in real life? Sarah Jessica Parker from Sex and the City

FEATURED QUOTES

I realized I chose a career path based on earning potential with little to no regard for passion or purpose.

I made myself a promise that I want to design a life where purpose and passion leads, and I want to see where it takes me.

Beyond that title of CEO, I am definitely a dreamer.

CONNECT:

https://egamigroup.com/

ABOUT TENESHIA:

Teneshia is the founder and CEO of one of the nation's most successful multicultural marketing and communications firms, EGAMI Group. Her book, The Big Stretch: 90 Days to Expand Your Dreams, Crush Your Goals, and Create Your Own Success, is a soul-searching, life-transforming, 12-week boot camp that reveals how to get from where you are to where you dream to be – in life and in business.

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNER OF THE SHOW:

MamaSuds helps label-reading moms create a safe and nontoxic home for their family by creating synthetic free household cleaners. And one of those cleaner is MamaSuds

Fine Linen Soap- which is the best thing since [Pumpkin] - Sliced -Bread

Wash your high-quality sheets, linens, delicates, and organic fabrics with a Fine Linen Soap to keep them looking newer and softer longer.

Use 3-4 capfuls for high-efficiency machines on delicate cycle, 4-6 capfuls for regular machines on delicate cycle.

Head over to MamaSuds.com and use code MOLLY for 15% off your order!

My guest this week is Stephen Scoggins, an award-winning entrepreneur who helps people discover who they are, why they are here and what to do about it. Stephen uses the pain of his past and the lessons he's learned along the way to help people discover themselves.

Growing up, life was really difficult for Stephen. When he was just 22, he found himself homeless and on the verge of suicide. During that season, a mentor gave him a second chance opportunity.

From there, Stephen launched a multi-million dollar construction company and has gone on to launch several other successful businesses ranging from real estate to thought leadership with top line revenue over $100 million.

Stephen is dedicated to the relentless pursuit of giving others the same gift of freedom he received by offering a practical and empowering education to those looking for a second chance to level up, catapult forward and make their dreams a reality.

4:28 – Stephen 101

• He's a serial entrepreneur in the Raleigh, N.C. area. He has written books and is a speaker and life-change agent.
• He wants to help people master their life.

5:20 – Seven businesses

• He owns seven business, including in construction, real estate, thought leadership and live event series.

6:20 – Massive life changes

• The old Stephen wouldn't have thought the new Stephen was possible.
• At age 13, he asked God, "Please let me be the one to break the family curse." He felt led to make that request.

20:30 – The power of mentors

• As Stephen began doing public speaking, one of the number one questions he got was "Can you mentor me?"
• He couldn't say yes to everyone, but he told them that "Mentors are all around you."

30:37 – Laws of legacy

• The top 1% on average have 8 to 12 mastery level ways of doing things. Only 26% give that to someone else.
• Everyone is searching for purpose, but you need to serve the person you used to be.

34:13 – Am I doing enough?

• Stephen wondered if he was doing enough to help others or if he was too focused on himself.
• The question is: What lives are you impacting along the way?
• We all struggle with pride. Focus on being genuine and leaning on God.

42:38 – Self discipline

• The best advice for self-discipline is: Start small, win big.
• Make a list of things that are distracting you and what you need help with. Learn as much as you can and put together an action plan.

56:30 – Get to know you

• Most played song? Gladiator
• Fictional character he'd want to meet? Wolverine

FEATURED QUOTES

Never has it been easier in our lives to have direct access to thought leadership.

The secret to one's amplification and/or success, no matter what that means to you, is simply nothing more than the way you think, because it controls the way you behave.

I want to help people master their life.

CONNECT WITH STEPHEN:

https://stephenscoggins.com/

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNER:

MamaSuds helps label-reading moms create a safe and nontoxic home for their family by creating synthetic free household cleaners. And one of those cleaner is MamaSuds

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She is the author of Burn, which details her story of ingenuity, determination, and luck. Spanning three decades, from 1991 when she arrived at Washington's Dulles Airport, to today, Mei's story is one of stunning success. She built a multi-million-dollar company, met and counseled thousands of entrepreneurs and business people, and even advised the President of the United States Barack Obama on the topic of job creation.

Mei successfully negotiated the sale of Chesapeake Bay Candle to Newell Brands in 2017, a conglomerate with a $14 billion portfolio of consumer goods. She is now focused on helping women-owned consumer product companies grow and prosper with the Yes She May product platform.

4:40 – Mei 101

• Mei grew up in China and was one of two daughters. Her parents told them they could do anything boys could do.
• At age 12, she enrolled in a foreign language middle school, and that was a big turning point for her.
• It allowed her a chance to find out what it would be like to be a diplomat.

11:50 – Making candles

• Mei's dad found out she was making candles and was very confused. He said, "What does a candle do?"
• If you're afraid to start something new, Mei says, "You have to roll up your sleeves and find whatever it takes to get started."

21:50 – Billion-dollar industry

• Candles are a billion-dollar industry. They speak to her audience and are popular, especially around Christmas.
• People didn't burn her candles in the beginning because they were too decorative and pretty. So, she realized she wanted people to burn them so they would buy more.

27:22 – Do it better

• We need to ask ourselves how to do things better and get more women involved in the supply chain and manufacturing.

36:13 – Yes She May

• Mei wants to connect consumers with brands that are owned by women
• They searched around the world for designers and brands in beauty, fashion and wellness.

41:52 – Women-owned businesses

• Mei says very few women-owned businesses make more than $250,000 a year. That can make it hard to get your products in Target, Macys or other large stores.

44:51 – Burn book

• Her book is about preservation and the immigrant story.
• You can never abandon where you came from.
• Your story could inspire other people.

50:14 – Get to know you

• Who would play Mei in a movie? Reese Witherspoon
• Hidden or unusual talents? She has great comedic timing and instinct
• Best vacation? Sardinia boat trip

FEATURED QUOTES

The pandemic also made me realize that we are really all connected.

It sounds dazzling just to think, as a student, as a diplomat, how does she end up making candles? My dad was very confused.

You have to roll up your sleeves and find whatever it takes to get started.

CONNECT WITH MEI:

• https://www.meixu.com/
• https://yesshemay.com/

ABOUT MEI XU:

Mei Xu, a Chinese American entrepreneur, is the founder and CEO of two global companies, Yes She May and Chesapeake Bay Candle® and author of Burn which details her journey from China to starting and growing a multi-million-dollar business in the U.S. In June 2020, Mei created the e-commerce platform, Yes She May (www.YesSheMay.com) to help women-owned brands reach a larger audience and scale. Her team aims to provide consumers a curated collection of thoughtful, high quality products made by talented women vendors from around the world.

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS:

Ready to ditch the bleach forever but can't find a bleach alternative that actually works? You've got to meet this Extra Strength Oxygen Powder by MamaSuds. It launches July 15th and I've had the chance to try it out early and I love it so much! It really tackles the dirt and odor in our clothes. And as usual there are multiple uses for this new product. Not only is it a laundry booster and stain remover, but it's a great scouring agent on any non-porous surface. If you head to their website and sign up for their email list you'll get an email with an early bird special coupon when oxygen powder launches PLUS use discount code MOLLY and get an EXTRA 15% off! www.mamasuds.com

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Speaking of stories behind brands that change the world, I'd like to introduce you to Deux Mains. In French, Deux Mains means two hands. Why 'two-hands'? Because everything they create is made by trained artisans who use their two hands to make their life better while crafting beautiful products. Truly, this is a company that set out to change lives and make a positive impact in the world. It started when the founder, Julie, wanted to create dignified jobs in Haiti, a place she was growing to love, and that was exploding with creativity. She wanted to share this talent with the world.

Julie set up an educational program to train people with artisan skills and then went on to build a factory that operates on 100% solar energy. Deux Mains now employs more than 40 artisans that handcraft premium leather goods, jewelry and sandals. Their lives are forever changed by their craft.

What's also cool is their products incorporate an eco-friendly twist, working with responsibly sourced materials and repurposed inner-tube and tires in their designs.

When you buy from Deux Mains, you get to be part of a movement that is making a difference in the world, while adding an incredibly well-made piece to your closet that supports conscious living!

You can discover their products online at deuxmains.com and use code MOLLY for 15% off!

My guest this week is Emily Bernath, a rape survivor, sexual assault victim advocate, author and speaker. She just released her newest book, Broken Lenses Volume 2: Seeing Others' Value in a World of Division.

She has spoken to hundreds of people belonging to various faiths, age groups, and nations, and has taken the message of her first book, Broken Lenses: Identifying Your Truth in a World of Lies, to book stores across the nation.

Emily has a passion for reaching out to women and guiding them to living out an identity rooted in truth. After being a rape survivor, Emily found her life quickly turn away from having everything she thought she wanted and towards feelings of both hopelessness and worthlessness.

It was during that time, and being open about her experience, that it became apparent to her just how many other people experience those same feelings and so easily allow things that aren't true about them define them.

3:59 – Emily 101

• Emily never dreamed of being an author, but it was something God placed on her path.
• She struggled with reading as a child and hated reading. She preferred chemistry and math in school and liked the challenge.

7:06 – Turning to God

• Emily grew up in church but never had a deeper meaning to her life. She lived the typical college party life.
• She was raped at the end of her second year of college. Emily was angry, turned to God and said, "What the heck?"

12:30 – Lies she told herself

• One of the biggest lies Emily told herself was that her body was tainted by the rape.
• She felt worthless, taken advantage of and not like herself anymore. She wanted God to show her how her body was still a temple.

18:00 – Seeing people as God sees us

• When we see others as God sees us, it unites us. When we see people as the world sees us, it can tear people apart.

21:15 – Seek to understand

• When people share polarized opinions, they shut themselves off to listening and learning.
• Seek to understand, not be understood.

23:43 – Listen to survivors

• Abuse of any kind has a spiritual impact.
• Faith means complete trust in God, but a lot of abuse is caused by someone you trust.

29:22 – Seasons of healing

• Emily's healing journey was a multi-step process. She's still finding freedom in new areas.
• Sharing her story in writing was an act of surrender, because now anyone can read what happened to her.
• She has gone through seasons of healing.

32:57 – Advice for assault survivors

• You are worth being helped. You're not a burden.
• Don't assume that people won't help you. There are so many resources out there.

36:25 – Get to know you

• Guilty pleasure? Chicken wings
• What she'd do differently if no one judged her? Nothing. Maybe shave her head.

FEATURED QUOTES

Once I was able to see myself for the truth and for how God sees me, the enemy has no power over that.

You just can't overcome God's truth.

The truth will set you free. And that's really what I want for people is to be free from the lies and the condemnation of this world, and there's a lot of it.

CONNECT WITH EMILY:

http://emilybernathauthor.com/

ABOUT EMILY:

Emily Bernath, a rape survivor, is a sexual assault victim advocate, author, and speaker.

Her first published book was Broken Lenses: Identifying Your Truths in a World of Lies (Morgan James Publishing, 2019). Bernath's newest book is Broken Lenses, Volume 2: Seeing Others' Value in a World of Division (Morgan James Publishing, June, 2021).

Bernath, who completed a 40-hour Sexual Assault Counselor Training course provided by UCASA, serves as an active board member with the non-profit, Reveal to Heal International. She offers support, counseling, and advocacy for sexual assault victims. She has participated in, and spoken at, numerous events and fundraisers in support of such victims with The Rape Recovery Center and The Walk of No Shame.

She attends a non-denominational church, K2 the Church, and has a passion for reaching out to women and guiding them to living out an identity rooted in truth. She has spoken to and shared this passion with hundreds of people belonging to various faiths. She serves as a mentor to the next generation in youth ministry and speaks at numerous events in the Salt Lake Valley. She has also shared her passions through humanitarian work in eSwatini, Africa.

Bernath earned her Master's in Business Administration from the University of Utah, David Eccles School of Business, in 2016. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Toledo in 2014.

She resides in Salt Lake City, Utah. For more information, please consult: www.emilybernathauthor.com.

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS:

Ready to ditch the bleach forever but can't find a bleach alternative that actually works? You've got to meet this Extra Strength Oxygen Powder by MamaSuds. It launches July 15th and I've had the chance to try it out early and I love it so much! It really tackles the dirt and odor in our clothes. And as usual there are multiple uses for this new product. Not only is it a laundry booster and stain remover, but it's a great scouring agent on any non-porous surface. If you head to their website and sign up for their email list you'll get an email with an early bird special coupon when oxygen powder launches PLUS use discount code MOLLY and get an EXTRA 15% off! www.mamasuds.com

----

Speaking of stories behind brands that change the world, I'd like to introduce you to Deux Mains. In French, Deux Mains means two hands. Why 'two-hands'? Because everything they create is made by trained artisans who use their two hands to make their life better while crafting beautiful products.

Truly, this is a company that set out to change lives and make a positive impact in the world. It started when the founder, Julie, wanted to create dignified jobs in Haiti, a place she was growing to love, and that was exploding with creativity. She wanted to share this talent with the world.

Julie set up an educational program to train people with artisan skills and then went on to build a factory that operates on 100% solar energy. Deux Mains now employs more than 40 artisans that handcraft premium leather goods, jewelry and sandals. Their lives are forever changed by their craft.

What's also cool is their products incorporate an eco-friendly twist, working with responsibly sourced materials and repurposed inner-tube and tires in their designs.

When you buy from Deux Mains, you get to be part of a movement that is making a difference in the world, while adding an incredibly well-made piece to your closet that supports conscious living!

You can discover their products online at deuxmains.com and use code MOLLY for 15% off!